


Skeleton

by mhunter10



Series: Maintenance [3]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Bipolar Ian, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-28 04:36:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8432098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mhunter10/pseuds/mhunter10
Summary: Ian has an episode that scares Mickey almost to death.





	

It felt like rain the way the water from the shower fell down on him.

Ian sat as far into the corner of the tub as he could, but the water still reached him; a hot and heavy downpour. He doesn’t know what came over him. He was showering, only he kept passing over the same spots over and over until he was scrubbing them raw. It felt like a rash under his skin but he could see it. He could see it clearly but it just looked like holes he had to fill with something. He had woken up too early. He felt sleepy. His alarm was going off in his room, but all he could hear was a bomb about to explode if he didn’t hurry up and get to it in time.

His body hurt. He was shaking. To top it off, he’d gotten soap in his eye that burned with the tears from the pain. He looked down at his red skin and it was melting clean off. He could see the tips of his fingers disappearing before his eyes, revealing bloody bones.

He started screaming.

Mickey stood at Ian’s door, banging furiously like the first time they met, except now he was juggling his son.

“Gallagher!” he yelled, trying to be heard over the muffled alarm that had been going off all morning. Maybe he wasn’t there? He’d gone out and left it on by accident. But Mickey heard the flow of water through the whole apartment when the shower came on. He was definitely home and definitely in big fucking trouble. “Gallagher, open up!”

Is this what Ian had warned him about in the quiet aftermath of their orgasms? Was this the reason they had decided to go slow after pretty much sprinting to finish that first time? Mickey didn’t mind. He had a kid, he wanted that too. But they hadn’t been talking or seeing each other lately. He didn’t want to admit that part of him was afraid Ian had just gotten bored. But maybe this was different.

Mickey sighed, frustrated for so many reasons. One of them being Yev was starting to fuss because this was not eating breakfast. This was loud and angry and not food. Mickey calmed him as he walked down the hall to Mrs. Goldman’s. She knew Yev and wouldn’t mind taking him while he figured out what the hell was going on.

He was just reminding her of his cell number when he heard screaming from Ian’s apartment. He ran. He’d feel guilty about not saying bye later, but not right now.

“Ian? Ian!” he yelled again, but the screaming continued. It sounded like words. Mickey used his skeleton key to get in, hurrying to the source of his panic. He opened the bathroom door and saw Ian soaking wet and staring at his arms in utter horror. He looked up at Mickey and reached out to him desperately. He looked wrecked. “Ian, what the hell!”

“I’m melting! Mickey please help me!” Ian sobbed.

“Jesus Christ,” Mickey went to turn the shower off but the tap was scalding hot. “Fuck!” He grabbed a towel and turned it off then easily picked Ian up into his arms. He was so skinny. “Ian, what happened? Ian, look at me!”

Ian looked at him, clinging onto him weakly. He was scared. He was hurt. He winced when Mickey carried him to his room.

“It’s g-gonna explode,” he shivered. He repeated it until Mickey yanked the cord out of the clock.

Mickey sat him down and tried to look at his skin. He was bleeding in some places.

“Did you do this to yourself?” Mickey asked almost in a whisper. He looked worried and scared and confused. Ian thought he heard something outside. “Ian, hey,” Mickey touched his face.

“I had to do something or it…it was gonna…I was gonna melt and go down the drain,” Ian pleaded, hearing himself but not thinking about his response. It was the truth. He would’ve floated away like dirty suds.

Mickey sighed, dragging a hand down his face. He was thinking. Maybe about what he’d told him the last time they saw each other. More likely about just leaving and never coming back just like everyone else.

Mickey did leave, but he came back with a glass of juice.

“Drink this,” he said.

“I can’t,” Ian felt tears again.

Mickey sat down next to him and wrapped the sheets around him. “Yes you can. I’ll help you.” He put the cup to his lips and tipped it up slowly.

Ian drank. He chocked when he remembered his hands. “I’m melting!” he was starting to panic again.

“Hey, hey no you’re not. You’re right here, okay? You’re not going anywhere,” Mickey said, cupping his face away so he couldn’t look at his hands.

Ian whimpered, repeating it. He sank against Mickey, unable to hold himself up anymore. He hadn’t been eating. He hadn’t needed to. Every time he thought he should eat something, he just didn’t. Now he could barely move.

Mickey laid down with him, holding him and countering every word he said like a never-ending argument.

Eventually Ian passed out from exhaustion.

Mickey looked down at him and didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to do. He hated that he hadn’t had the guts to come there sooner when he thought Ian was avoiding him. He maybe wouldn’t have noticed what was going on….or would he have? He pinched his nose and closed his eyes.

It was weird, but the way Ian had reached out for him made this little ball in his stomach bounce. Ian wanted him, but maybe he needed him too.

Mickey didn’t remember the last time someone other than his own son needed him. But this was different.

Mickey felt like he was beginning to need Ian back.


End file.
